Danske Bank announces four branch closures across Northern Ireland

The branches - in Lurgan, Cookstown, Kilkeel and Fivemiletown - will close on Friday, September 16.

Commenting on the announcement, Aisling Press, Danske Bank’s Managing Director of Personal Banking, said: “The world around us is changing constantly, and the world of banking changes with it.

“Alongside that, the needs and expectations of our customers evolve, and in the last number of years, the way customers use branches has changed considerably. Now, many are choosing to use alternative ways of banking with us, such as our digital solutions, online banking, app or banking on the telephone.

“As a business, we have to respond to these changes and part of that is reviewing and adapting how we invest in customer solutions for the future. Sometimes that will include investing more in branches. Through transformational upgrades, we have invested around £6 million in 25 branches across Northern Ireland over the past six years and we continually look for new opportunities to develop and invest in our technology to better serve our customers in our branches and across our other channels.

“Sometimes, unfortunately, we also need to make difficult decisions to close certain branches that are being used less and are no longer sustainable. We do not make these decisions lightly.

“Today, I have written to our customers of each branch to assure them that we remain committed to continuing to meet their banking needs, and to share the different ways they can continue to bank with us.”

After September 16, Danske Bank will have a network of 28 branches across Northern Ireland.

SDLP South Down MLA Colin McGrath said the closure of the Danske Bank branch in Kilkeel will have a negative impact on the local community.

Mr McGrath said many people in the town relied on the branch for banking and other services and would be lost without it.

He said: “Kilkeel is a coastal town in a rural area and the people who rely on this bank for a wide variety of services face a long trek to find an alternative. While I understand that greater numbers of people are opting for online banking, a large number of people still prefer to use a physical bank, including our older population, many of whom have not transitioned to using online services.

“This is the latest in a number of bank closures in this area in recent years and if we don’t find a way forward we face the disappearance of physical banking from our towns and villages in the not-too-distant future. We need to find a happy medium that meets the needs of everyone in our society and part of that must include a number of locations for people who prefer to do their banking in-person.

“My thoughts are also with the Danske Bank staff who face significant changes as a result of this closure.”

Mr McGrath said he would be contacting the Danske Bank to discuss the closure.